I just want to be a Knight
by Lady Cinderbella
Summary: This is the story of a young girl's dream of becoming a Knight of Tortall, and all the disasters that follow.
1. I just want to be a Knight

Chapter 1 - I just want to be a Knight.  
  
"I just want to be a knight." Celandine whispered harshly through clenched teeth. Beneath long, black lashes, her ice blue eyes were furious.  
  
"Have you ever thought about our reputation?" said a richly clad man. This was Celandine's father, Lord Pavel of Lithenwood.  
  
"Reputation? Reputation!?" Celandine cried, "Father, you're so caught up in titles, you forget what is important! Like the defense of Tortall and it's people. Please let me train to become a knight." She added a little more quietly.  
  
"We already have people defending us. Why risk yourself, when others can do the work?" Lord Pavel said in a lazy voice, flourishing a hand dripping with gold rings and jewels.  
  
"Father!" Celandine screamed in rage, "I hate you! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" she tried to storm out of the room, but her Father gripped her wrist.  
  
"Celandine! Your behavior is atrocious! I have no choice but to send you to the Convent. Go and pack your bags." He shouted  
  
"No!" Celandine said in cold defiance.  
  
"Pack your bags now!" Lord Pavel screamed, his face turning purple in his fury. Celandine stopped struggling, and stared into her father's eyes with such pure hatred, that he almost shivered beneath his daughter's icy stare, and then she stormed from the room, slamming the door behind her.  
  
This is first chapter about the high tempered wild cat, Celandine. Will she go to the convent? Will she ever become a knight? Find out in the next chapter! 


	2. Runaways

Chapter 2 - Runaways  
  
Convent! He wants me send me to a Convent? I'll learn how to look pretty and how to address Lord and Knights, when I could be out on the Tortallan borders protecting my country! Like Lady Knight Alanna, or Lady Knight Keladry I will rescue anyone who needs my help! Celandine thought furiously as she trudged her way back to her room. When she got there, she locked the door behind her and burst into hot, frustrated tears.  
  
"I just want to be a Knight!" she whispered to herself over and over. After a while, when her wits returned, Celandine had formed a plan.  
  
***  
  
By now, it was well past midnight, as she sneaked out from her room. The stone halls were bare and silent, as she padded along in her soft silk slippers. She wore a simple brown tunic and a dark forest green cloak. In her hands she held a pair of riding boots. Celandine's long chocolate brown curls had been tied in two long braids, and they thumped gently against her back, as she started to run softly.  
  
Once she had escaped her Father's castle, she went swiftly to the stables, and into the third stall, where she greeted her small, grumpy looking, white horse, Felda.  
  
"Hello, Felda." She murmured as she began to saddle her beloved horse. Felda looked at Celandine with cross coal black eyes, as if asking, 'Why did you wake me up so late?' and snorted irritably into her face.  
  
"Sorry old girl, but we've got to go." Celandine apologized, as she began to pack the saddlebags with apples and oatcakes - stolen from the kitchens, a few water skins, an extra cloak and another set of clothes. She did not plan on returning home.  
  
The darkness cloaked the runaway girl and her horse, as they thundered through the gates and into the surrounding forest. Celandine wasn't exactly sure what she was doing, or where she was going for that matter. She was hoping to be riding in the direction of Corus, Tortall's capital, but after a while she realized she was hopelessly lost.  
  
***  
  
Dawn's grey light spread through the sky, chasing away the night's shadows. Celandine was now slumped tiredly across Felda's saddle, as they plodded through the thickening forest. Fear began to clutch Celandines heart, as she realized she was completely alone, and lost in the wilderness. She began to think inevitably of the stories her cousins used to tell her when they visited Lithenwood, about the bloodthirsty bandits who hid in the forest, ready to rob and kill any whom they found.  
  
"Felda, Felda, what have I brought you into? We're lost; hopelessly." she quickly stopped talking when she heard at least twenty voices, very close by.  
  
Bandits! She thought in terror, as she tried to turn Felda in the other direction. A twig snapped beneath the horse's hooves.  
  
"Hey, who goes there?" voices began to shout. Celandine brought Felda into a canter, then a gallop, as the bandit's horses rumbled closer, and closer.  
  
Suddenly, Celandine's foot in her saddle began to loosen, and she cried out as she fell from the saddle and landed in a tangle heap on the leafy ground. Felda galloped off without her.  
  
"What do we have here?" a voice asked. Celandine shut her eyes tightly and curled into a tight ball, fearing the bandits would try to kill her. A calloused hand gripped Celandines thin arm. Celandine began to panic. She did not want to die, especially not by bandits! Eyes tightly closed, she swung a messy punch into whoever had grabbed her. The grip loosened, and Celandine dared to look at her attackers.  
  
She stared into a pair of beautiful, compelling violet eyes.  
  
That was the second chapter. I think we all know who our adventurous, ill- tempered heroine, Celandine, bumped into. Find out in the next exciting installment! Oh, and could you please review this story? Good or bad comments, I'd really like them, so I could improve the chapters. Thanks so much! 


	3. Celandine meets Lady Knight

Chapter 3 - Celandine meets Lady Alanna  
  
When Celandine saw those eyes she scrambled backwards, and took a fearful, closer look at those who had found her. The woman with the violet eyes had short cropped, coppery curls, marred only by a few streaks of grey. A few lines covered a sun browned, determined face. She wore full chain mail, and held a shield of a gold lioness on a red field. Her nose was bleeding from where Celandine had unknowingly punched her. Celandine gasped as the realization of who she had met dawned on her.  
  
"Lady Knight!" Celandine whispered, blinking rapidly, "I did not mean to. to hurt you. I.I. thought you. were bandits. I am so sorry." Celandine dropped to her knees, and bowed her head.  
  
"Please, stand." Lady Alanna said, her lips twitching in amusement.  
  
Shakily, Celandine stood, She took a long look at the scene before her; still believing it wasn't real. Behind the Lady Knight stood at least twenty armored men. A giant of a man with a mop of orange curls handed Alanna a small bandage which she stopped the flow of blood from her nose.  
  
"Who are you? Where do you come from?" the orange haired Knight asked. However tall he was, Celandine noticed he was still quite young.  
  
Celandine knew she could not reveal her true identity, for they would certainly return her to her Father, so instead she answered,  
  
"My name is.Elsa. I am from. a. er. small village. um west of here. I. I got lost while. um, picking flowers with my sister, Kira. My horse got spooked by a bird, and charged away into the. the forest. We got very lost." Celandine trailed off lamely, blushing as she looked at the suspicious faces of Alanna and the men. She was a hopeless liar.  
  
Alanna raised her eyebrows skeptically and said, "We are just north of the River Olorun. There is a small village, about fifteen miles north of us. Perhaps this is your home."  
  
Celandine nodded dumbly, not trusting herself to speak.  
  
"We are headed that way, looking for a fearsome band of bandits. You are lucky we found you first. Your horse, where is it?" Alanna continued  
  
"Felda, she ran off my lady, when I fell from my saddle."  
  
"Very well. Hop up on Sleetrunner." Alanna said, gesturing to a gentle looking rose roan horse. "We will escort you back to your village. Oh, and by the way, keep your eyes out for bandits."  
  
That is the third chapter, hope you liked it. Please review it. Thanks! 


	4. Bandits

Chapter 4 - Bandits  
  
Celandine soon found Sleetrunner to be a very sweet natured and gentle horse, as they rode through the forest beneath the long, hot summer sun. As soon as Celandine became more comfortable with the group, she begun to talk more, and before long she was firing an endless supply of questions to Alanna.  
  
"Have you ever seen a spidren, my lady?" Celandine asked excitedly.  
  
"Yes, unfortunately. Terrible creatures, they are." Alanna was cut short when Celandine asked,  
  
"Was it hard disguising as a boy, when you were training as a page?"  
  
"It was pretty hard. I could never go swimming."  
  
"Is it fun being a Knight, my lady?" Celandine interrupted again.  
  
"Perhaps I could answer your questions fully, if I had time to reply." Alanna said sharply, her patience beginning to slip.  
  
"Sorry, my lady." A few minutes passed in silence before Celandine perked up a bit and asked,  
  
"Tell me a story, my lady. About when you were training as a knight."  
  
"A story, eh?" Alanna said "How about." she was cut off - this time not by Celandine but by a shout further ahead,  
  
"BANDITS!"  
  
Without hesitation Alanna plunged to the front of the group, unsheathing her magnificent sword. Screams and sounds like metal clashing on metal filled the air.  
  
Celandine began to panic - she had no weapon. Out of the trees emerged the bandits, grinning fiercely and brandishing wicked looking swords.  
  
"Lady Alanna!" Celandine cried, but her voice was drowned out by the battle cries. The giant red haired knight emerged close by Sleetrunner,  
  
"Elsa, stay close by me." He shouted over the horrendous noise. All Celandine could do was nod.  
  
Suddenly, an arrow shot through the air and buried it's head in Celandines right arm. She screamed in agony, as blood spurted from the wound. Another arrow found it's target in Celandines shoulder. The pain was so great, Celandine screamed and slipped into unconsciousness. She woke a minute later, slumped across Sleetrunners saddle. The battle still raged around her. Her grip on Sleetrunner's reins loosened, as her hands were slippery with blood. A red mist covered the world from her view. Around her things darkened rapidly. She was falling, falling. The darkness wrapped it's self around her, like a comforting blanket. The pain from her arm and shoulder was soon gone, and she was slipping further down.  
  
I am dying. Celandine thought groggily, as she flailed her arms, trying to reach above her. Trying to pull herself back to the light. Then a voice said,  
  
"Come back, Celandine. It is not your time."  
  
Hope you liked the fourth chapter. Please review my story, I love reading your comments! Oh, by the way - Hi Genevieve! 


	5. Answers

Chapter 5 - Answers  
  
Celandine woke with her whole upper body on fire. She groaned as the pain worsened. She opened her eyes a tiny bit and looked around her. She was in a small room, lying on a soft, clean, white linen bed. There was a window on the left and she looked out to see. training courts?  
  
She shook her head and squinted. yes! They were practice courts and a group of boys were hitting and blocking with wooden staffs!  
  
Her pain momentarily forgotten she tried to rise, but she cried out when her shoulder burst into hot pain. She lay back on her bed and bit her lip, to stop from crying out again.  
  
The door to her room opened and in strode Lady Alanna.  
  
"My lady?" Celandine asked weakly, "Where am I? What happened? Why are there boys outside with staffs?"  
  
Alanna laughed and said, "I'll answer all that in a second. Firstly, how are you?"  
  
"My shoulder and arm are like on fire!" Celandine said, then realized she might sound like a cry baby in front of Lady Alanna, "I mean, it's nothing much, really."  
  
"It's ok to feel pain, you know." Alanna said as she seated herself on her bed. A thin tendril of purple magic floated into Celandine and within a minute, the pain began to subside.  
  
"Thank you." Celandine sighed gratefully.  
  
"Now for your answers." Alanna said, making herself comfortable, "We beat the bandits, and took any left alive prisoners. Cleon was almost frantic with worry when we couldn't find you."  
  
"Cleon?" Celandine asked, cocking her head slightly.  
  
"Sir Cleon of Kennan, you know, the big red head. Anyway we found you on the ground unconscious. You had lost lots of blood. I healed you as best I could for the moment, and removed the two arrows from you arm. We took you quickly to that small village I told you about, but no one knew you. We asked around for your sister also, Kira, but no one had ever heard of her either. Even your horse Felda was unknown to these people. We could not leave you there, so we had no choice but to take you back with us. You are in Corus, lying in the Royal Palace. Outside those boys are training pages. You have been asleep for almost a week now, and you have been treated by the finest healer in Corus, Sir Nealan of Queenscove."  
  
"Wow! I'm really in Corus! In the Palace! I finally made it here after all." Celandine realized what she had said and quickly covered her mouth.  
  
"Who are you, Elsa? Where do you come from?" Alanna said, her face grave and deadly serious.  
  
"I can't tell you." Celandine said defiantly, her temper beginning to flare, "I don't have to tell you everything about me."  
  
"Where will you go once you are recovered?" Alanna continued, "This is not a time for games."  
  
"I don't know what will happen. But if I tell you who I am, you'll take me back, and I can't go back!" Celandine pleaded.  
  
"Please, Elsa, or whoever you are, you must tell me. I promise I won't do anything without your permission if you tell me. I must know."  
  
Celandine looked into Alanna's violet eyes, still serious, but gentle. "My name is. is Celandine. I am from." Celandine hesitated, "From. Lithenwood."  
  
Alanna gasped, "You are the missing daughter of Lord Pavel! The whole of Tortall has it's eyes peeled for you!"  
  
"But I won't go back. Father said he'd send me to the convent. But I want to be a Knight, more than anything in the whole entire world!"  
  
"You remind me of someone." Alanna said, an amused smile on her face.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Me. My Father was going to send me to a convent as well. But I swapped with my brother Thom."  
  
Celandine smiled, "And became the greatest Knight ever."  
  
End of chapter five, hope you liked it! I wonder what will happen? Will she go back to Lithenwood and be sent to Convent? Or will she be able to complete her life long dream of becoming a Knight? Find out in the next chapters!!!! 


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